Religious Persecution In China

EDM number 999 in 2005-06, proposed by David Burrowes on 10/11/2005.

That this House expresses grave concern at the persecution suffered by Christians in China, through imprisonment, torture, financial penalties and other mistreatment; condemns the numerous arrests of Christians which have taken place in recent months, especially those accompanied by beating resulting in serious injury, and condemns the ongoing incarceration of several church leaders who are in poor health; notes in particular the sentencing of Pastor Cai Zhuohua, his wife and brother-in-law in Beijing on 8th November to three years', two years' and one-and-a-half years' imprisonment respectively for charges relating to the production of bibles and religious literature; expresses concern at the prosecution of religious activities under the guise of economic crimes; and calls on the Chinese Government to refrain from those acts which defeat the object and purpose of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects the right of the individual to religious freedom, and to which it is a signatory, and to discontinue treating with impunity those who perpetrate human rights abuses against religious believers in violation of international human rights standards.

This motion has been signed by a total of 82 MPs.